1954‘ish VH

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paul.jameson
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Re: 1954(ish) VH, re-registered ’57

Post by paul.jameson »

Back in 2002 I bought another alloy head single. It ended up with son Rob who has now done considerable mileage on it, although not without needing repair work to the head from time to time. It ran perfectly to Germany and the Netherlands in 2018 for the Annual Rally. The same event took me 2 bikes after a pannier made a bid for freedom shortly after leaving home on my iron head Square Four. So I did the trip on my alloy head KH. The alloy head singles are perfectly useable, but if I was going to ride from here to (say) Romania and back, I might be tempted to use a different Ariel if I was in any way uncertain about the alloy head on the single. That is all though. So, go out and use it, on rides of ever increasing distance and you will find out what a fine machine it is.

Back to the oil pipes. Are you sure that there is an actual tee on the delivery pipe? On the 1956 onwards bikes a small diameter pipe came out under the oil tank and led to the front of the fully enclosed rear chaincase. The origin of that pipe was in the top of the oil tank where a tiny sponge in the top of it let a tiny amount of oil from the return splashing in the top of the tank go down the pipe. I wonder if you have a later oil tank on your bike with this feature? From your photos, it certainly looks as if this might well be the case. If you look carefully under the oil tank you should be able to see whether my guess is right. The other indication is something which looks a bit like a small rubber bung in the plate in the top of the oil tank, opposite the hole where the return oil flows out.
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robjameson
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Re: 1954(ish) VH, re-registered ’57

Post by robjameson »

In all fairness the bike didn’t run perfectly on the Germany/Holland trip, I had to rebuild the clutch 3 times and the baffle fell out of the silencer, which took some diagnosing as it sounded like a serious engine failure!

I have done approximately 10,000 miles on the bike, and I am NOT gentle with it, and I have probably done at least half of that with the current alloy head fitted. Getting the valve train geometry correct is fairly critical to the longevity of the valve guides in my opinion.

Rob
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simon.holyfield
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Re: 1954(ish) VH, re-registered ’57

Post by simon.holyfield »

robjameson wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 9:40 pm ... and the baffle fell out of the silencer...
That happened to me once. I stopped and walked back to collect the bits and there was this bloke looking up in the sky for the Vogon Constructor Fleet.
cheers

Simes

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Re: 1954(ish) VH

Post by SimonFletcher »

You guys are really filling me with confidence, re. the longer trips!
’54 VH,
‘72 BMW R60/5, ‘83 BMW R80RT
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Re: 1954(ish) VH, re-registered ’57

Post by SimonFletcher »

paul.jameson wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 9:03 pm Back to the oil pipes. Are you sure that there is an actual tee on the delivery pipe? On the 1956 onwards bikes a small diameter pipe came out under the oil tank and led to the front of the fully enclosed rear chaincase. The origin of that pipe was in the top of the oil tank where a tiny sponge in the top of it let a tiny amount of oil from the return splashing in the top of the tank go down the pipe. I wonder if you have a later oil tank on your bike with this feature? From your photos, it certainly looks as if this might well be the case. If you look carefully under the oil tank you should be able to see whether my guess is right. The other indication is something which looks a bit like a small rubber bung in the plate in the top of the oil tank, opposite the hole where the return oil flows out.
Paul, you are absolutely correct (I don't doubt as always!).

Here is a photo of the underside of the oil tank:

IMG_6596.jpeg

There is a tee on the return, feeding the rockers, but the other pipe runs directly off the tank and I had previously fitted a length of rubber tube and directed it toward the rear chain for lubrication (no FERC), though I don't see much evidence of any delivery of oil. Possible it is blocked off at the well in the tank… I'll look a bit harder.

This bike is a bit of a bitsa from different years (probably not too unusual in that respect) and although I have continued to dress it as a '54, which it mostly is, the frame is a re-stamp, it has been re-registered and it's origins are shrouded in mystery. John Mitchell was able to tell me a little about a previous owner of the slightly unusual motor (at least), but it came with no paperwork to speak of, so I am just trying to get as much of its 'originality' back, given the limitations!

FINAL question (for now) to those who know. If I want to get rid of that horrible red flexible oil pipe, can I use 5/16" ID pipe (8mm) to do the job or is that the wrong internal diameter?

MANY THANKS!
’54 VH,
‘72 BMW R60/5, ‘83 BMW R80RT
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